Master
by SheWhoMustNotBePsychoanalyzed
Summary: IYxFMA AU Edward Elric has made a deal with Naraku: his life and servitude for Al's body. But when Naraku hands Ed over to Sesshoumaru with clear instructions to destroy both him and Inuyasha, is this a chance for redemption or simply a way to stain his h
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I have something that may interest you," the low voice of Naraku reached the dog lord's sensitive ears, as well as his stench. Fighting the urge to wrinkle his nose, Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder, and his eyes widened a fraction. Standing next to Naraku was a human youth, clad in black with a red overcoat and long golden hair tucked into a braid. His head was bowed so that his bangs covered his face. What both irked him and perked his curiousity is that he could not smell the boy.

"What is it you want, Naraku?" the dog lord inquired coolly, while studying the boy.

"I am here to offer something of value to you," the demon said. "This is Edward. He is a skilled warrior, and he will follow you as faithfully as he does I... almost like a little _dog_." The mocking, cruel emphasis on the last word was not directed at Sesshoumaru, but at Edward. The golden-haired boy's fists clenched, his frame tense, as if he wanted to strike Naraku down where he stood. "Are you willing to take him, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"I have no use for a human, let alone a child," Sesshoumaru stated coldly.

"Ahh, but that is where you are wrong," Naraku smirked. "Show him, Edward."

Now devoid of any emotion, the boy clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground. The earth before them exploded with blue light, and a spear slid up out of the earth and into Edward's hands. Sesshoumaru had to fight to keep his expression under control.

"That is all very well," he said. "But can he use it?"

Naraku did not speak, and the boy simply motioned for the dog lord to step aside. When he was satisfied that Sesshoumaru was far away enough, Edward tensed for a moment, then tossed the spear into the forest. A pained cry of a dying animal met their ears, and fresh blood greeted the demon's noses. Sesshoumaru stared at the boy for a moment, calculating if he was worth it, then reached his decision and turned to Naraku. Undoubtedly, the baboon was concocting another one of his disgusting schemes, and Sesshoumaru was determined not to be caught in another one of _those_. But, if he kept a close eye on the boy...and he had to better at watching Rin than Jaken...

"Very well. I will take him. Come, boy." Sesshoumaru turned away, but stopped when a soft voice reached his ears.

"I have a name. Edward. Use it." The boy lifted his head, and for the first time the demon saw those large golden eyes, laden with tiredness and sorrow and guilt, and beneath it all, a spark of fiery rage. The wretch, he dared speak so? Sesshoumaru considered ripping him apart for a moment, then saw the look on the boy's face. Apparently, he didn't care about blood and nobility, or was simply ignorant of it, if he dared to address his betters as equals. The dog lord felt amusement and anger war within him before he decided to let it slide, just this once. The boy would learn sooner or later.

"I know your name, now _come_," he snapped, for a moment losing his composure. The demon could have sworn he saw a faint, triumphant smile on Edward's face before it vanished. Choosing not to argue further, the boy walked after Sesshoumaru, just a few steps behind him.

Interesting. So Edward was not as downtrodden as he acted. This required further investigation.

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_"Brother...are you sure?"_

_"No, I'm not, but I'm doing this anyway."_

_"But Brother--!"_

_"I have to, Al. We made a bargain. My servitude for your body. There's no getting out of it."_

_"But there has to be a way!"_

_"No, Al! Did you see the way he restored your body, just like that? I'm willing to bet if I backed out, he'd take your body AND your soul away, too! We've dealt with people like him before-- nothing else matters, as long as they get their way."_

_"Brother..."_

_"I want you to promise me, Al, that you won't come looking for me."_

_"What...?"_

_"Whatever I'm going to be doing, it's probably not going to be pretty. I don't want you to see it. Promise me!"_

_"Brother...I..."_

_"Promise me!"_

_"...I promise..."_

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Ed glanced up at the dog lord, then back down again. He had a feeling he was in for a long, hard ride with this guy. Naraku had been loaning him out to other nobles to do their dirty work, and sent him out on a few odd jobs with Kagura and Kanna.

"LORD SESSHOUMARU! YOU CAME BACK!" The voice that reached Ed's ears almost made him flinch. It was a kid's voice, and he liked kids, but it was just so...loud.

A tiny brown-haired girl threw herself at the demon lord, clutching his leg and gazing up at him with adoring brown eyes. Ed could have sworn he was imagining it, but the golden eyes of the demon softened a little as he looked down at the little girl. The the girl turned to look at him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, who is he? Is he here to stay with us? What's his name? Where's he fr--" Sesshoumaru cut her off smoothly.

"This is Edward, Rin. He will be staying with us for a while, and he will watch you instead of Jaken now," the icy lord said, obviously used to the onslaught of questions. Rin smiled up at Ed, who felt his heart jerk painfully. She couldn't have been much older than Nina...

He smiled back, a little bit sadly. Rin grabbed his hand-- the left one, thankfully-- and towed him off to the clearing, chattering on about this and that. Ed felt his smile brighten, if only by a small amount. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Then he saw Sesshoumaru's shadow on the ground beside him. Ed didn't even hear the rustle of his clothing, he walked so silently. Okay, then again, maybe this would be a living hell.

But it was worth it. Al had his body back, and that was all he wanted. It didn't matter what he wanted, as long as Al was whole... Even if he couldn't be there.

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_"Brother, what will I tell everyone?"_

_"I don't know, Al. Whatever you can think up, I guess..."_

_"You-- you mean _lie_ to them?"_

_"I know you're not that good of a liar, Al. I'm sorry, but I can't really help you out there."_

_"Bro-_ther_!"_

_"Heh-heh..."_

_"Honestly, Ed, what can I tell them? The colonel? Aunt Pinako and Winry?"_

_"...Just tell them I'm dead, Al."_

_"What!"_

_"It'll be easier if they just believe that I'm gone. That way, they won't waste time and energy looking for me. They'll grieve, yeah, but they'll move on."_

_"But Brother..."_

_"I have to go now, Al. I love you, little brother..."_

_"EDWARD!"_

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Sorry for any OOC-ness, this is my first shot at an IYxFMA fic. Let me know if you like it, hate it...


	2. Miserere Mei

Crawling in my skin  
These wounds, they will not heal  
Fear is how I fall  
Confusing what is real

Linkin Park- _Crawling_

_Glassy violet eyes glared out at him from a dark red puddle, searing Ed to his very core. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, just stared in mute horror and fascination as a slimy black tentacle slid from the ooze and wrapped itself tenderly, almost lovingly, around his neck. _

_**We homunculi…we are weakened when we are near the remains of the one the alchemist tried to resurrect. That's how we can be killed, understand?  
And not…**_

_No…no, no, no, I didn't mean to kill you, I didn't!_

…_**come back…**_

_The tentacle tightened._

_**Why…why are you telling me this?**_

_Other black appendages shot out of the puddle, spiraling tightly around Ed's body and making him nauseous with their smooth, icy feel against his skin. _

_**So you can beat them, Ed.**_

_Liar, the eyes in the puddle accused him. You couldn't kill the others, even if you tried. You couldn't do it, not for anyone, not for me…_

_**They sealed me for so long…**_

…_not for your brother…_

_**You can't let them stay in control.**_

…_not your friends…_

_**But they're… like you…**_

…_not your mother…_

**_I'm greedy as hell—only out for myself, she always said it would be the death of me._**

_Not even for yourself._

_**They pull the strings—now cut them. I'm counting on you, kid.**_

_Ed shut his eyes as the cold black tentacles cocooned him in their freezing embrace, feeling himself begin to suffocate from their nearness, as the last bit of light went out._

_**I CAN'T KILL YOU!**_

With a choking gasp, Ed sat straight up, both hands clamped over his mouth and his throat raw from his smothered screams. Heaving softly, he struggled to get himself under control. Beside him, Rin stirred sleepily and her enormous brown eyes peered out at him in confusion.

"Big brother, what's the matter?" she mumbled. "Did you have a scary dream?"

Ed lowered his hands and nodded assent, still not speaking. Rin was quiet for a long time, and Ed almost thought she had gone back to sleep until she spoke again.

"Big brother, I can't sleep. Will you sing for me?"

Her request caught him so off guard for a moment that he simply stared at her, remembering another little girl who had once asked the same question.

"_Please, little big brother? One more song and I promise I'll go to sleep!"_

_Oh, Nina…_

"All right," Ed relented at last. "One song, and then you go back to sleep. Deal?"

"Deal!" Rin said enthusiastically, and promptly snuggled underneath his red coat that he had covered her with before she had gone to sleep. Softly, so he wouldn't wake Jaken (Sesshoumaru had disappeared earlier, and no one knew where he had gone), he began to sing.

_In this world you tried_

_Not leaving me alone behind_

_There's no other way_

_I pray to the gods let him stay_

_The memories ease the pain inside_

_Now I know why_

_All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
Your silent whispers, silent tears _

_Made me promise I'd try  
to find my way back in this life  
I hope there is a way  
to give me a sign you're ok  
Reminds me again it's worth it all  
so I can go home  
_  
_All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
Your silent whispers, silent tears_

_Together in all these memories  
I see your smile  
All the memories I hold dear  
Darling, you know I'll love you  
'til the end of time_

_All of my memories keep you near  
In silent moments imagine you'd be here  
All of my memories keep you near  
Your silent whispers, silent tears_

_All of my memories..._

"Sing it again, big brother?" Rin pleaded. Ed leaned over and tucked his jacket more securely around her.

"Not tonight, Nina," he whispered, his head bowed. "Maybe tomorrow."

Again, Rin was quiet for a long time. Then she spoke again.

"Big brother," she said tentatively. "Are you crying?"

"No, Rin," Ed said softly. "Now go to sleep."

It was only after Rin's breathing had slowed and evened out that Ed realized he had called her _Nina_.

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Short, yes, I know, but it's the best I can do. When I get back to you I'll tell you more about what happened.

Memories belongs to Within Temptation.

Thank you for those wonderful reviews!


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